I was emotionally / psychologically abused for a brief amount of time by a parent when I was a child. I was never diagnosed with PTSD and the abuse has never really bothered me mentally. Over a decade later, I jump every time someone touches me and occasionally when people say my name, no matter who it is. Sometimes I will be fully aware that someone is about to touch me (friend giving me a hug, significant other holding my hand, etc.) and I will still jump as if they caught me off guard. I have also heard some similar stories from other people, none of whom were physically abused. Is there a reason for why this happens?
In: Biology
One of the biggest priorities of any living being is self-preservation. It’s an instinctual behaviour, which often has us react to perceived threats reflexively without any conscious decision-making. The jumpy reaction when being startled is your body going “OH SHIT! WE GOTTA FIGHT OR RUN!”
Abuse especially at an early stage of development effectively teaches your brain that some things that are considered harmless by others are, in fact, threats. Even if you don’t think you’re bothered by the abuse, the jumpy reactions indicate that it has left more scars than you thought.
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